C'est Chic
Atlantic, 1978
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chic_(band)
REVIEW BY: Michael R. Smith
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 01/25/2009
The quintet known as Chic broke through into the mainstream in a big way with 1978’s C’est Chic. Group leaders Nile Rodgers (guitar) and Bernard Edwards (bass) put in double-time as producers for the length of their tenure with Chic, which pretty much lasted as long as disco did. On this, their sophomore effort (which is anything but sophomoric), they proved that they were at the top of their game. From this point on, they would be in high demand among other artists as the producers du jour.
The opening cut, “Chic Cheer,” should have been left on the cutting room floor. It is a lame instrumental piece marred by canned applause and repetitive whistling. As if “Le Freak” needed an introduction! Back in the winter of 1978/79, “Le Freak” was HUGE in my neighborhood of Hyannis, Massachusetts. It was played on heavy rotation at the local ice skating rink, and at the time, I couldn’t quite figure out what all the fuss was about. But now I understand. It’s got a propulsive bass line, catchy lyrics and impossibly polished production. At the time, it was only the second pop song I had ever heard and I had nothing but the Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” to compare it to. So much for my humble beginnings as a future music critic, right?
The second single, “I Want Your Love” is equally as dynamic as “Le Freak.” Nile really shows off his guitar work here. And those female voices of Alfa Anderson, Diva Gray, and Luci Martin are as heavenly as those church bells chiming in the background. Drummer Tony Thompson of Power Station fame provides the solid backbeat and their string section is such a standout that they have dubbed it the Chic Strings. All of it adds up to what is undeniably one of the best albums the late ‘70s had to offer.
The slow-burn ballads “Savoir Faire” and “At Last I Am Free” help to balance things out, especially with the two hits whipping us all into such a disco frenzy. They provide the perfect cool down and take the album to a higher level, if that is even possible. The lesser-known tracks “Happy Man” and “Sometime You Win” hold their own and keep the album bouncing and strutting along nicely. The line “Take a little chance, don’t mean nothin,’ sometimes you win, sometimes you lose” could be the Chic motto, though for them taking such daring chances were truly groundbreaking and really paid off.